McClure Guns for First Daytona 500 Start with Front Row

STATESVILLE, N.C. (January 29, 2014) – Eric McClure will make a return to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, joining Front Row Motorsports for the season-opening Daytona 500 in the No. 35 Ford Fusion. The veteran driver will carry the support of Hefty®/Reynolds Wrap® as primary sponsor in what would be his first start in “The Great American Race.”

The Sprint Cup team announced the one-race McClure-Hefty®/Reynolds Wrap® partnership today at the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour in Charlotte, N.C., as the team discussed its expanding partner program and on-track performance growth.

McClure is an 11-year veteran of NASCAR’s Nationwide Series. He earned a career-best eighth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway last February in the Nationwide Series’ season opener. The 35-year-old Chilhowie, Va., native also has three career Sprint Cup starts. The Daytona 500 would be his first Cup start for Front Row Motorsports.

“This is an exciting time for me and certainly our sponsoring brands as well,” said McClure. “In our sport, and for my family, there is nothing greater than the Daytona 500 and this opportunity will enhance our program in a unique way. Front Row and I have a history together; they have always represented their partners and ours in a professional manner. They are very strong on the superspeedways and I enjoy this type of racing more than any other. Racing in the Daytona 500 has always been a dream of mine and I look forward to getting to Daytona, working with this team, and trying to achieve this goal.”

Reynolds Consumer Products is known around the world for its household essentials, including the iconic Reynolds Wrap® aluminum foil and Hefty® brand waste bags. Its products are sold in the United States at mass merchants, grocers, and other retail stores, and in approximately 90 countries throughout the world.

Front Row Motorsports has become a top team to watch on NASCAR’s superspeedways, with a win and six top-10 finishes in restrictor-plate races over the past two seasons. That track record certainly helps in developing partnership opportunities with organizations like Hefty®/Reynolds Wrap®.

“We know our cars are really strong at the plate races and we’re making a lot of gains on the other tracks, too, and that’s getting people’s attention,” said team owner Bob Jenkins. “Hefty® and Reynolds® are household names, and we’re excited to represent such a respected company on our car with a veteran driver like Eric behind the wheel.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opens with the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Feb. 23. The race will be televised live on FOX at 1 p.m. ET. The No. 35 Hefty®/Reynolds Wrap® Ford will also be on track throughout the “SpeedWeeks” leading up to the “Great American Race,” including the Budweiser Duels qualifying races, which will be televised live on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.